Friday, December 30, 2011

Was trying to get a couple of things together earlier in terms of writing. The flesh and spirit are in cahoots and hell bent on making the formation of sentences difficult to impossible. And then I got to thinking that can’t everybody just hear stuff for themselves these days anyway? I’m not sure what the next set of numbers holds and yes smartarse, nobody does but I could really use a break in all senses of the word. A new kind of kick? Not necessarily new, I’d settle for one I’ve had before just so long as it was one in particular.

However, being that’s unlikely – I do hope that it doesn’t kick off quite so abominably as 2011. There’s one big (fairly) imminent event that I’m definitely not prepared for. In fact dreading is probably more fitting. And in town this morning, the squeals of “happy new year when it comes” made these toes curl as only that expression can bring it.

Still, time is fleeting and if I can throw caution to the wind and try to grab a few handfuls or something or other as I’m flushed around the U-bend of life then hey ho. Hope to see a good many of you before the Mayan lottery comes up. When exactly is that anyway?

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Let me tell you about the past.

And how it seems to be fusing with the present and future right now. Seems like I never posted here for a few days and wasn’t even really aware of not having done so. Maybe that’s progress? Who knows, but it's no good looking at me.

Anyway, it’s Christmas day and I’m the only creature stirring around these parts and my thoughts are very much with my dear friend Miriam in the event that her mother passed away. This can be a cruel time of year spiritually away from the feeding frenzy of consumerism. It is about family, immediate and extended because after all the “stuff” is gone then it’s only the dreams and memories that actually keep burning.

The Rezillos Christmas Panto the other night took me right back to the Hotel International just down the road in 1976. It’s good that they’re still rolling in the thunder. It made me think about how these were the people that gave me the copy of “The Way I Walk” when they came back from recording “Can’t Stand The Rezillos” in NYC. The association was that life-changing. The version of “Can’t Stand My Baby” was ferocious in an “it’s behind you” stylee and I look forward to many more years of them doing this positive therapy for kids of all ages.

Opening was George Miller’s new combo, The New Piccadillys. Really great with and an eye-watering beat combo take on “Judy Is a Punk” that will be out as a 45 in early twentytwelve. I’ll keep you posted.

Other than that, I just got a copy of “The Ballad of Mott The Hoople” so methinks I’ll make some coffee and get in aboot that.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

T’was what? Four? maybe three days before Christmas and I’d been let down with a gift that I was trying to sort for someone. I guess I let them expectations rise a little high. Strange - because generally, I have no such thing. Either that or they are so low as to be as good as none. And here’s another case in point with regard to keeping all that on the DL. Because, in the main, I find that being let down is such a common occurrence that I’m not sure why it should irk me so much at this point.

I’d like to know if there’s a course or a seminar or something – where one can learn the art of letting people down. Oh, I’m sure that I’ve disappointed folks but never knowingly or wilfully. Usually it involves being an arse or just plain stupidity. I really don’t like to let anyone down though to an almost pathological degree. This can go from something that I say I’ll do to something as simple as punctuality. An obsession bordering on a condition.

So there’s the creek, where’s me paddle. Of course, the individual has not a scoob of what was on the cards so no harm done there but they would have dug the no-show a lot better than the M + S voucher they could well end up with.

However all was not lost and I did indeed find something, from a place not far away. And what’s more – the service and level of assistance was utterly exemplary so there are still exceptions to the rule out there in the undergrowth. It temporarily restored something I’m currently lacking, the commodity called faith. Hope and especially charity took off a long, long time ago. More about the source of the “goods” after the coast is clear (Sunday).

Which brings us to farcebook’s latest wheeze – “timeline”.

I rather stupidly jumped in them there rapids and have regretted it more or less ever since. What was I thinking? Well, not much obviously. I never spotted that it did indeed have shades of myspace which I’d forgotten ever existed. But yes, some switched on individuals have indeed twigged to just that. The processor on this PC can’t deal with much of anything anymore and the bugger just seizes up depending on what it’s trying to do. There doesn’t appear to be any means of reverting back to the common or garden farcebag timewaster.

I kvetch about this rubbish but there are way bigger fish to fry. Call it a coping mechanism or a diversion or whatever you want. The only thing that matters is that it’s nearly Friday. Don’t really care for Chrishmish but I’m open to cajoling. I’m not a cynic and prefer to think of my aversion to bullshit as realism. This consideration finds me as always largely in the minority. Colour me Grinch.

The Cramps box will be making its way out into the world right about now and I hope that Ivy will take the existence of such a beast to be the green light to get the archives in gear. I mean, if there’s this much excitement about stuff that’s been available before, imagine the appetite for unseen, unheard stuff.

For my own part it brings closure. I won’t write about the band again unless it’s to celebrate the release of a book or a video comp and wouldn’t ordinarily have been involved with a project like this but it marks the reason why Munster exists and how a bunch of us all met and became lifetime amigos. We’ve stayed sick as the credo suggests but hopefully the turning blue is some way off yet.

I’m off from the 23rd until January 5th. At this point in time, the canvas has a little light pencil here and there but nothing that couldn’t be erased to make way for something else. See you in Auld Reekie tomorrow nicht maybe? Tramline??

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Monday, December 19, 2011

So far I’ve managed to suppress the urge to type “let it snow” into google. There have been a couple of times this year when I feel like I’ve "engulfed in indescribable sadness" like the North Koreans to some degree too but all I thought about when I heard of the “dear leader” passing was this video. And of course, South Park.

Will be heading out to see The Rezillos this week so if there are any overseas or wherever individuals that need a copy of the "Out Of This World" 45 – and haven’t ordered from the site – then I’m prepared to assist. It’s a fiver plus whatever postage to your particular corner of the universe. Just let me know by Thursday and we can figure it out.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

If you're in Glasgow then drop in on the What Presence! exhibit at Trongate 103.

Some nice images that include The Cramps, Suicide and The Ramones. And let's not forget The Dreamboys. The Bluebells played a short set with a line up that included Mick Slaven on guitar. those guys came up with some great wee pop songs that certainly stand the test of time.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Worth hanging on for 2012 it seems with the news that Sir David Alvin and his Guilty Ones will make a pitstop in Glasgow at The Arches on Thursday April 12th. The Cluny in Newcastle the night previous too. When all dates are available then I'll post them here. Good on young KevMo for making this happen.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The small matter of time going in pretty fast and my not being able to be arsed with writing means that we'll be circling the holidays before we know it. I gave up with the shops and trying to buy stuff. At the same time as a big report on "the demise of the High Street". It is a shame but there's f-all to buy (except records and books but them's not for everybody).

Meant to mention that a Beat Room compilation was screened with "Serious Drugs" the other night. Some of that stuff did not stand up, it has to be said but thankfully there was the odd pearl in there like The Pastels "Unfair Kind of Fame".

I came on here to mention something in particular but have completely forgotten what it is. A mixture of old age and the aforementioned cannae-be-arsedness conspiring to flummox me. If it comes back then so will I but really, don't hold your breath.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Not long back from a genuine world – as in never seen before in its completed state by anybody including the person that made it – premiere of “Serious Drugs”, a documentary about Duglas T. Stewart and BMX Bandits.

Four years in the making, Jim Burns took the task on did so because he wanted to get to the bottom of this music that helped him get a leg up to get over the wall of a nasty bout of depression. A one-time psychiatric nurse himself, this is a positive notion of mental health, to the extent that it could be re-titled “The Devil and Duglas T” although Duglas’ demons are maybe different to those of DJ.

“I'm not speechless, I'm still Duglas” said the subject when he joined the Q + A, chaired by Beat Patrol vet Peter Easton, the first man ever to play a BMX Bandits record on air and akin to being the first gent on the moon at the time. Over the shooting time, Jim was granted total access to the twisty, turny Bandit world. The context is fleshed out by bandmates, associates and family. At one point, Duglas’ mum says that he became the singer to prove his dad wrong. She was sitting directly in front of me at the screening and turned to his sister and said “that’s true”.

It was Jim’s family who pitched in on the making of this, the first film he ever made and quite feasibly his last although he did tell me about an idea he has for another that sounds like a hoot should it ever get beyond first base. “Serious Drugs” charts the progress from the early days of twee exuberance to the present. I recall my own reaction to the early BMX output as being remarkably similar to the lambasting Sounds review for “E102” revealed in the movie. It wasn’t until I actually met Duglas that it made any sort of sense and then somehow they got really good around the time they opened for Alex Chilton at Glasgow Tech, whenever the hell that was.

This will hopefully play film festivals and get a few other screenings along the way. Unlike the formula docs that come at us ten a penny, it paints the storyboard of a rather complex character at large in his own Trumanesque tragi-comedy. His always unique worldview reveals a hapless romantic that succeeds and indeed thrives upon swimming against the tide of crud.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

I just realised that I never posted about Eric and Amy's show last Sunday in the Jordanhill 'burb of Glasgow. Something happened that kind of threw me off my game. Top venue courtesy of Alan Hendry, quite neatly packed and to put it bluntly, I think this was the best I've ever seen them - and I clocked some blinders from these two.

Clocking in over the 2 hour mark, the masterclass in entertainment provided thrills, spills and everything in between. They brought a show worthy of enormodome value to the function room of a tennis and Bowling club. The set contained everything a contentedly boisterous audience could ask for. Of course, there was a compliment of gibbering bastards that yakked but the volume and velocity mostly put paid to that.

And we had a nice wee pow-wow over some stovies, tea and wine in the small hours afterwards. The three of us even made it to the (Let's go to the) pictures on the Monday morning. Did anyone go to the Malmo show? Would love to hear about that.

Does anyone give much of a damn about anything other than their own "parsnips" anymore?

I'm thinking perhaps not. As we limber up for the transition between another set of numbers - waiting for the hammer to fall - and I'm not talking about the guy that sez "you can't touch this" or the place in Canada or a football team - then I'm well on my way to losing any kind of faith i have in much of anything.

Oh sure there are some people, and things - but I'm talking about the big picture. And morale in general. I consider myself to be pretty fortunate in some ways and utterly destitute in others. No different from anyone else on that score maybe but backbone and fibre seem to be in short supply. Self preservation surely isn't the be all and end all, or is it?

Today is my annual tussle with "It's A Wonderful Life". Part of my ritual, just like "The Apartment" is on New Year's Day. It's around now that one gets to thinking how it would be to have never been born at all and can see several faces lighting up at the very thought of that.

Friday, December 09, 2011

No idea what it is with me and December but it always ends up in a thud, one way or another. I guess it was impossible to sustain the high jinks of the last wee while so perhaps the perspective will make sense eventually. Or most likely not.

Anyway, the silly season is looming large and two weeks from today, the holidays will kick in. I have the usual intentions of trying to get to grips with stuff that has slipped or lapsed or in some cases both. No promises or contracts will be entered into though. There could be blogging involved somewhere along the line but I wouldn't count on it.

In just three weeks we'll be nudging 2012 so who knows what that bugger has in store. Will the Mayans be proven correct or did they have their fair share of shysters also? Likely the latter. Any way you deal it, there's a cold front moving in.

Friday, December 02, 2011

I imagine that a load of you will be heading to see Jack Oblivian in London tonight? There are a lot of shows here, there and everyplace. I'm somewhat out of the loop. Winter has really hit with a bang today although thus far not like last year at this time. I'm sure there are things that I need to bang on about but time is very tight. And the flesh and the spirit are week as one contemplates the seasonal madness.

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

No time to document my comings and goings at present but Mr Percival ventured out to see King Mob @ 229 The Venue in Great Portland Street, London W1 – 17 November 2011.

Glen Matlock’s career to date has included playing with many of his own personal favourite bands and artistes – ranging from the Faces through to Iggy Pop. His latest venture is King Mob, featuring the Pretenders Martin Chambers on drums, Steve Parsons aka Snips (ex Sharks) on vocals plus guitarists Sixteen and Chris Spedding, with Matlock himself of course on bass duties.

I’d had the band’s debut album for about 10 days before this first London gig and was really looking forward to seeing them. The album has a 1950s classic rock’n’roll sound – packed full of energy, excellent riffs, a raw edge, atmospheric vocals from Snips and some great catchy songs.

As I walked to the venue I realised that it was literally a stone’s throw across the Euston Road from where the Thames Television studios used to be where the Pistols achieved national notoriety on 1st December 1976 when they appeared on the “Today” show hosted by Bill Grundy. Spedding and Matlock go back a very long way, with Spedding having produced the first Pistols studio demos back in May 1976. 35 years on, when many bands are struggling to pull a crowd, it was great to see a good turnout with fans travelling from as far as the Netherlands. The 229 is an excellent venue with a high stage and good sound. The support band, The Bermondsey Joyriders accompanied by the legendary MC5 manager John Sinclair on spoken word, warmed the crowd up nicely.

King Mob took to the stage around 9.45pm for their third ever gig, after shows in Carlisle and Bristol earlier in the week. They went straight into ‘Lover of High Renown’, also the albums opening track. I was amazed at Snips as a front man. Very eye catching with his hair pushed up almost into a bouffant hair do – strolling around the stage and grabbing everyone’s attention. After the third song, ‘Vah Vah Voom’, Martin Chambers left his drum kit to introduce the band with a white towel draped around his neck like a boxer in the ring. This is a band that clearly enjoys each other’s company and playing live as could be seen from the smiles from the whole group.

‘American Slaves’ was up next, written by Snips and one of the stand out tracks on the album with its driving beat, ‘I said hip – hip – hip hooray for the USA’. I can see the band being a big hit in the US, especially if they’re able to dip into an audience with a love of bands like the Stray Cats and attendees of events like the Rockabilly Rave and the annual Coney Island festival.

The set closed with ‘China Waters’, ‘Selene Selene’ and ‘King Mob’ with ‘Who’s Chasing Who’ saved for the encore. All in all a highly enjoyable night – great bands playing in a great venue in front of an enthusiastic audience. What more could anyone want?

My lasting memory of King Mob is of a group of talented musicians playing music that they all enjoy for the fun of it. Exactly how it should be – but so rarely is. Have a listen to the album and go to see them if they play near you; you’ll not be disappointed.

The Cramps box set of 45's is delayed because a fire destroyed part of the manufacturing plant on Sunday evening. So be patient. Everything comes to those who wait. Eventually. I imagine that old Santa is a bit perplexed right about now as a result.

Cool photo exhibit in Glasgow that includes shots of the band from Glasgow Tech. thanks to Stephen Pastel for the heads up.

The Poets will be on at 10.30pm on Friday night at Stereo according to Holly at EWO. It's gonna be rammed so make sure you have a ticket because it's unlikely that there'll be any within sniffing distance of the door.

The upcoming Rezillos shows in December see the advent of a new single – a 7” available at shows and from the website only – entitled “Out Of This World”. Download too for those that dabble with that particular type of malaise. Hear it(and order it) here.

The Babba-RaRa-CuCu-DaDas are playing in Spain this weekend. Info here.

Friday, November 25, 2011

I don’t ask for much from you but The Dahlmanns"Candypants" and "I Love You Baby (But I Hate Your Friends)" have both been nominated for "Coolest Song of the Year" on Little Steven’s Underground Garage.

It would be grand if you could chip in and join the campaign to have Dahlmannia sweep the planet. Voting begins on November 25th (Black Friday) and will end on December 23rd. You can put down your cyber X once every 24 hours during that time.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

It’s Thanksgiving out in the US. Perfectly conceivable that countrywide thanks should be given to the Norton Records kids that begat such a feast of good times. With some great music thrown in for good measure. Oh, that’s not what it’s about?Well it should be.

Anyway, been back a week and still all discombobulated is my mode but it an OK way. The silly season and all the daftness that brings is gearing up too. This weekend is the first bookend of the Eric and Amy shows at Union Chapel in the company of some Norwegian dignitaries. This time tomorrow I’ll be Kings Cross bound if not actually there by now.

So can’t or shouldn’t grumble on the gallivanting front. Plenty else to kvetch about though.

For instance, that the E + A show in Manchester tonight is cancelled because the organiser seemingly couldn't arrange a concert in a venue. or words to that effect. But they are on Marc Riley's show tonight so hopefully this is just a temporary setback.

Advance tickets available in person at Monorail Music or online at We Got TicketsMuscles of Joy are one of Glasgow’s best-kept secrets – a multi-instrumental, largely vocal-led all female ensemble.Evoking a liberal spirit found in bands such as The Slits, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Kleenex/Liliput and The Raincoats,the band’s musical aesthetic is loose, abstract and emotively driven.

Their debut LP is a glorious collection of accidental pop, freak-folk, post-punk and avant-garde songs,each with their own magical identity. This is a very special release, with each of the 522 edition in handmade silk-screen,laser cut sleeves including a CD version of the LP.

Support for the show comes from Glasgow-based PALMS – whose debut 7” will be the next Watts of Goodwill release- and a dj set from Jamie Grier - who co-produced the Muscles of Joy album.

Read a record reviewMuscles of Joy on FacebookListen - Coins across his hipsWater break-its-neck

Plus, next week we'll be performing in an imaginary bar in an imaginary hotel, all elaborately created in a decadent, spooky, 1930s style. From what we understand, the liquor will be real. Our show follows a popular, ticketed theatrical event, but you can be our guest with just an RSVP! Simply write back with name(s) and number of guests for the free guestlist.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

So I go to see this new Morgan Spurlock movie knowing Matt + Kim are in it as well as their song “Cameras” but little did I conceive that during the ad break there would be a Nissan ad that used a version of "Human Fly" by gawd knows who. I hope Ivy is being paid handsomely for this.

“The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” is a tad convoluted but nonetheless entertaining and it was great to see the kids on a movie screen 4.3 miles from my house, the weekend after I missed them in NY.

It provides an odd kind of synch, at least in my telly.

Hopefully the report below has formatted OK. It kept crashing as I was attaching links so I just gave up in the end.

The Norton Records 25th Anniversary Rumble took place at The Bell House in the fine borough of Brooklyn over four days last week. No-one that attended will ever forget it. Since then I hit reality with a bang and a sack full of whimper but let’s try and recapture the flavour of this hysteric event.

4 nights of Nortonian hootch that covered their chequered service. Even although he’s long gone, the spirit of Hasil was present throughout and the clan was treated to the largest collective “hunch” that the world has ever known. Billy and Miriam, ably assisted by Todd Abramson built it and the people came to worship. Many of the locals couldn’t get tickets because the place was to be invaded by furriners. One of which was me.

The Nor-tones kicked things off each evening with a short set composed of nuggets from the annals of the label. They did a great job, the very best of which was a dreamy saunter through Roky’s “Wait For You”. Nick Lowe’s “I Love My Label” sprang to mind too because these kids clearly do.

A mix of head lag and lack of space constricts my ability to cover everything that went on over there but it reached saturation at some points. It got to be a bit much to process. Perhaps a little foaming from the mouth was also evident.

The outright highest highpoints for me was being able to watch the guy that started me out on all this deliver two acoustic sets in the lounge on the Saturday and Sunday nights. Andy Shernoff - ably assisted by Brian Hurd of Daddy Longlegs and the fab Tricia Scotti - delivered the songs that brought a lot of us together like we never heard ‘em in person before. A total honour. Andy also joined Untamed Youth for a rattle through “Cars and Girls” that quite literally made some of us cry like little bitches.

The Yout’ set was also something to behold, effortlessly showing that they were never nostalgia driven to the point of novelty. They might hark back to the bygone but they turbo-charged the goods and delivered something circling perfection.

The A-Bones set and it’s culmination with Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan was beezer too. I had a lump in my throat and something in my eye during much of it. “Questions I Can’t Answer” booted me right over that brink.

Worthy of a shout out also as I run out of space were The 5,6,7,8’s who headlined the first night. No they didn’t it was The Black Lips you might say but trust me. The R&B Soul Revue was utterly unbelievable as Melvin Davis, Andre Williams, Dave “Baby” Cortez and The Mighty Hannibal indicated that age is immaterial. And that their material is solid gold. Jaw droppingly entertaining. The Great Gaylord ably assisted by The Condo Fucks – tore “TV Eye” a new one far beyond The Stooges current cabaret fayre.

I saw Reigning Sound twice. Maxwells was slightly better because they did “High School Time Bomb” but the pace of the set was better at Nortonpalooza. Patrice took me over there on my first night in town, she is a trip. Caught The Sonics two times too. One during the afternoon in NJ with my homies Nancy and Fiona and again closing the four day rally. Blimey, I nearly forgot about The Randy Fuller Four. Who could ever have dreamed of such an occurrence? Never to be forgotten for sure.

There are clips all over the interweb that allow you to hear and see nearly each and every performance. I’m not sure words are enough. It was also and opporchancity to get reacquainted with good friends and to notch up a few more. At least I got to see a wee bit of Susquehanna Industrial Tool and Die Co. I can never get enough of those Goofballs kids. It was an extreme pleasure also to meet Ms Palmyra Delran. They broke the mould when that one was made. And also Brother Mark Hershberger of the Pop Detective imprint who has recently brought The Dahlmanns to the world. So many great folks, so little time. Karen, Sal, Joe, Ken + Vibeke, Roy, Cyril, Jimmy + Gretchen, Joss + Nadia, Scott, Mr & Mrs Kogar, the list just goes on and on... Howie flippin’ Pyro too. First time since the “dog incident” in Glasgow.

Aside from everything else, making the exit up on to Union Square, the first time I ventured into Manhattan on the Thursday was pretty overwhelming. It had been so long. I made for one of the first place that I ever went back in 1983, the Strand Bookstore where I first met Miriam. Then just walking somewhat unconsciously I found myself outside Joey’s old apartment on East 9th. My heart jumped into my mouth at the realisation. It had been a long time and being able to make peace with it all has been a welcome respite to how this year kicked off.

Recent events at home have also served to create a perspective and although the coming months are likely to serve up some primo bullshit on the personal and fiscal front, I feel better prepared to deal with it after this. .

HTcame in from up North Fork way and just a couple hours with KP and he did this grizzled old heart good. Likewise Duano. My pal Paul (Lukas)came out even although he had the lurghi, I hope the doc was able to fix you up young fella, me lad.

Anyone visiting the borough should make a bee-line for the Canal Bar(Hey Althea!). A home away from home during “the ordeal” (ha ha). It has the Ulf Ramone seal of approval, who could ask for any more. But wait, all bars carry his approval - right? Ha ha.

My final day in town was really something as I headed for Destination Greenpoint to Chez Zaremba then into town to meet the one and only Caryn Rose. A reminder to anyone who wants to get a cool book for anyone this Chrimbo, “B Sides and Broken Hearts” is the bizzo. From there I saw KP, then Amy joined us before she and I headed toward the Flea Market Cafe farewell nosh that Mary Lee organised. All a bit overwhelming to be honest. Amy Allison, Eric Ambel, Laura Cantrell, Mary Lee Kortes all in attendance prior to the Lakeside Lounge antics. And to have Fiona and Rinda there just iced that bloody cake.

And to top it all off – the great Andy Shernoff Esq. and Ms Delran also turned up. Karen, Jon, Ross and I hit up Manitoba’s. I’m sure that I’ve neglected to mention a host of folks and I could rabbit for acres more but what’s left of my mind is mush really. It’s unlikely that any of us will recover.

Could there perhaps be a 30th anniversary? The attendees of this stramash wait with baited breath to see if those Millers would be prepared to go through anything like this ever again.

When I was wandering around Newark Liberty Airport waiting on fate to deal its mortal blow, pining for them Tri-state urban fjords – Dave “Baby” Cortez’s “Happy Organ” was blaring from the fake fifties diner. For a few seconds, I was transported back to the weekend and all was momentarily well with the world.

If I could just do last Sunday afternoon like Groundhog Day then my disposition would much improve but all is not lost - a rather agreeable weekend lies in store in just a matter of days. I'm gonna visit google maps now to see if there's a route there that doesn't involve the usual rigmarol. Probably not.

Just prior to heading off to NY, a little bit of that state came to Beith in North Ayrshire. In The local Masonic Hall no less. The great Willie Nile made a return to that airt for a Sunday afternoon show that should surely be the template for gigs to come. A cool room, a great crowd untarnished by the spectre of hipster indifference and a very cheap round of drinks. OK, so it’s a bit off the beaten track – that just makes it even better.

In fact this is perhaps the future. Where an act doesn’t fall in with “the circuit” and goes back to old principles. Of course there’s internet and all manner of media gubbins but there’s no substitute for intimacy and if you’ve got the songs then this type of thing is gonna be a skoosh. There has to be a venue like this every town in the UK.

Playing this type of place, you’re gonna be taking your message directly to the people who need it like Willie did. So you get "Can’t Stay Home", "House of a Thousand Guitars" and "The Singing Bell" alongside "I Wanna Be Sedated" and "People Who Died". Authentic NY rock’n’roll thrills and spills transplanted to North Ayrshire.

Opening up the show was Adam Smith, a local youngster who put the Kevin Coyne into Paulo Nutini and then Micky Kemp, a man with transatlantic connections to the boardwalks of NJ and Austin to name but two outposts of the stuff that makes all this tick.

Kudos to Billy Crawford, the man who put this all together and here’s to many more such events out there on the moors.

Willie Nile will be part of a charity event in Glasgow on December 11th or 12th. Can't find details but it's supposed to be at the O2 ABC in Sauchiehall Street.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Friday, October 28, 2011

Many thanks to The Chairman for indicating that the ongoing, long term pisser that was viewing this claptrap in Firefox or Safari appears to have been rectified. Gracias to those of you that persevered during this, would love to take credit for the fix but I had less than nothing to do with it. Perhaps a big boy or girl did it and ran away? Whatever happened, it hopefully makes the browsing experience a little less irritating. This weekend is one hour longer. Praise be.

Will you use yours wisely or just fritter it away like I probably will?

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Hello,

This Sunday's Monorail Film Club is perfect creep you out cinema.David Greene's "I Start Counting!" has in recent times become become so underground we didn't think the GFT would be able to source a print but they've somehow managed to get their hands on it. It's part mystery, part horror and has Jenny Agutter pre-Walkabout in it. The score is by Basil Kirchin and the title song is completely amazing.

Wynne (Jenny Agutter), is an adopted schoolgirl who has a growing crush on her older foster brother George (Bryan Marshall). At the same time a series of local sex attacks on young women is haunting the town and becomes the main gossip in Wynne’s school. Wynne’s obsession with George intensifies with the discovery of a bloodied jumper and his unexplained trips out in the evening, which she suspects relate to the sex attacks.

Introduced by Stephen Pastel. Café Cosmo will be open for drinks and informal chat after the screening. As ever we recommend booking tickets in advance from the GFT box office on 0141 332 6535.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Yazoo Squelch Audio Society has released Andy Shernoff's "Are You Ready To Rapture". Cub (at least I think that's what it sez) reported A. Dahlmann broke the story during his first night out in NYC where the lucky blighter also caught the man's Lakeside Lounge show with Scott Kempner.

Flipside is an unreleased cut with Joey on the song "Make Me Tremble".

It's available in Europe here. If anyone closer to home needs one then let me know and I'll get them direct from the man himself during Nortonpalooza.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Still, one of the main things to steam my bean is the reportage of a certain shite band selling out 150K tickets and getting ready to hoover up another 75K with a third steee-rike. And of course, Eblurt is already awash with tickets. I hope the sellers clean up because I have less than nada sympathy for anyone that would consider spending a penny(bathroom reference is a handy coincidence) on these bastards. None of this is good for my blood pressure.

Of course I'm also cranky that I'm not waking up - or still up - In Madrid.

There's a Veronica Falls instore at Monorail tonight. Think I might toddle across there to a place where the mention of a certain Mancunian band is worse than the worsest curseword.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Friday again. The big event draws ever closer and there is a happening of great magnitude going on today too.

Those Quattros are pulling up at the Wurlitzer in Madrid to shake up that veritable rock’n’roll church in celebration of “Hank”. I can feel a big black cloud gathering over this napper of mine as stage time approaches. I’m sure BB mentioned something about a beautiful, rich woman adopting me when I put together the bio blurb but I realise these things take time… ha ha. So they’ll just have to enjoy themselves without the old dweeb hanging round this time.

The normal end of the week high has been put on a peep with various guff that's going on here but I'll bounce back. There is good reason behind that statement but let's not tempt fate.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Someone should be going after the Las Vegan promoter by all accounts but ahead of our Nortonpalooza funfest here's a little Jordan/Loney action. With wir very ain Brother Don on bass (or is it Larry David?) - praise be!!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Monday, October 17, 2011

Well, it was to have been a big surprise. October 29th was to have heralded a return to the ring by Ben's new turbo-charged version of "The Weasel". However, Amazon UK let the cat out of the bag so punish them by ordering your copies directly from Recess.The tracks are...

A short, sharp boot up the jacksy to those who threw the guy under the mode of public transport namechecked on the EP closer.

Integrity intact, Ben has emerged bruised but somewhat unscathed from the brush with unbridled stupidity that set his plans back after SxSW. Everything happens for a reason, or so they say. His ex-bandmates really should have stuck by him - instead they provided the fuel for him to pick himself up to pen a couple of middle finger anthems that may otherwise never have been written. It's an ill flippin' wind people...

At the time of writing, word of this release having a "hidden track" based on Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl" were unsubstantiated.

The Barracudas in Madrid on 2nd December. Another one that'll have to go ahead without me. Dammit. But hey, Wreckless Rigby will be here so I'm VERY happy about that. This is all based on surviving Nortonpalooza of course.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Under any normal circumstances, I would have deigned to attend one or both of these Los Plantronics shows in Englandshire but this is not possible. If you're in the vicinity then please roll up and represent me. Cheers.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Monday, October 10, 2011

Recent and ongoing events are making me re-evaluate stuff. Whether or not it’ll be possible to action any of these findings remain to be seen but we’ll see. I was recently made aware of this by Sir Francis Macdonald and hadn't heard it before but it seems very apt.

Sunday, October 09, 2011

Luckily for me. I got to see her for an hour or so last October in Camden when she was over visiting Barney Koumis and seeing Mack Stevens at Hemsby.

Qina, Tony and Vanessa and I hooked up with her for an aperatif. She joked that her husband - the one and only Brother Randall - would be jealous that she was meeting "a Scientist".

Donna was a trooper and not one for taking prisoners. She and Randy were - shit ARE - one of those great couples. They used to send me videotapes that I treasure to this day as I do the Robert Tilton T-shirt they did when they ran his "fan club". To top it all off, the road trip we did from Dallas to Springfield, Mo via Memphis and Black Oak (Arkansas) is indelibly stamped on my heart and soul. My brother just reminded me that my nephew Jamie was born when I was out there on the "In Search of Elvis" tour in August 1992. After that leg, I made my first visit to San Francisco to that historic meeting with another great rock'n'roll couple.

Randy recently told me to get my arse on a plane for the premiere of "Spinal Tape" in Dallas. Sadly I couldn't due to circumstances on this end but here is another example of how you should never hold back.

So long Donna. You made a difference to everybody you ever came into contact with. Not too many people can pull that one off.

Saturday, October 08, 2011

Once upon a time, well a little over two years ago, I met two kids in Spain that were about to set out on an adventure entitled “The Dahlmanns”. You know that I’m not one for expectations but the bar for this one was set ludicrously high but why wouldn’t it be? I mean, all the signs from the shows to the demos and the bush telegraph action suggested that big things were possible.

However, I was way less than prepared for what they’ve actually delivered.

Why what is left of the record business isn’t chasing them and pelting them with wads of money begging them to come on board and help save its sorry backside is beyond me. This isn’t some poxy indie scratchings assembled in a spotty youth’s room. Nope, this one harks back to a time when making a record was an event or rather when an album was a clunker free zone.

Eleven songs, each a teen pop anthem that weaves through stellar pop to glam punk with essence of folk rock and even country. Everything but the kitchen sink boiled down to create an effervescent classic that is capable of instilling genuine euphoria in a grizzled, cynical old Hector like me. Maybe you won’t recognise what’s happened to your face but that expression that will crack across yours is undoubtedly a smile.

“All Dahled Up” isn’t a record that requires to be accompanied by a thesis, or that should be explained. My f-f-fascination with Lines lyrics is my problem. On the face of it she writes like Jackie DeShannon and sings like a punk rockin’ Helen Shapiro. Blimey is right.

If something this plain good and pure and true can’t catch fire then there is simply no hope. End of. However, whatever... the pop thrills that radiate from “ADU” at least attest to the fact that it is still possible for rock’n’roll of this calibre of to be made.

So it appears that fine pop produce is making like the proverbial corporation bus (do they still have those?). Nothing for ages then two rattle along in unison and I can see a third a little way in the distance but I can’t tell you about that just yet.

Recently on farcebook, I alluded to the fact that I believed that this is equal to, if not better than the first Blondie album and I stand by that claim whether you agree or not. Actually, between this and the new Quattros opus – I’m finally getting the inkling of what it might feel like to be a proud parent or maybe doting grandfather is closer to the mark. But without any of the mess.

“All Dahled Up” will be available on CD from Pop Detective and on vinyl from Screaming Appleby the end of this month and hopefully shows in support of this momentous occasion will be forthcoming also. As soon as I know, you’ll know.

I finally got to read Caryn Rose’s “B-Sides and Broken Hearts”. It’s an excellent snapshot of a world that quite possibly doesn’t exist anymore. Or if it does then sadly there’s all too little evidence of it doing so. In this case, familiarity does not breed contempt other than the fact that whenever these kind of obsessions are covered in print they seem to be compared to “High Fidelity”.

Dunno about you but I always preferred the film which is sacrilege in some quarters. I can reason this not least because it starts out with “You’re Gonna Miss Me” and MX-80 Sound’s “Hard Attack” appears in the front of one of the shop racks. We know these people is what I’m trying to say.

And I know exactly when I got the news about Joey and that sets the scene for this entire thing. Luckily I was with people that did understand the enormity. Lisa Simon wasn't so lucky. Some of this is pretty moving. I’m less inclined to go along with the premise that Pearl Jam ever made a listenable record. But hell, she even includes references to The Replacements version of “Black Diamond”. “B-Sides...” really is a superb haven and I wouldn’t be surprised if Santa is toting a number of these for lucky girls and boys that might enjoy a stay in this particular kind of universe.

It’s all about the passion that somehow seems to have gotten lost in recent times. The best book about music since JD King’s as yet criminally unpublished “Like A 45 at 33”.

Friday, October 07, 2011

Another Friday, another raft of good intentions at this point in time. Saw “The Skin I Live In” last night and was a wee bit underwhelmed. I heard it was “uncomfortable to watch” but really it was an extended episode of “Tales of the Entirely Expected”. They yardstick being that if I can see the “twist” coming then it must be pretty bloody obvious.

Still, it’s well-assembled and Elena Anaya is hubba plus so no real harm done. Almadovar is a master craftsman to be sure but this lacked atmosphere despite the components themselves being exquisitely composed. I don’t know about art but I know how many beans make 10 when I start to fidget.

Been making a lot of stupid mistakes this last week or so. When I went to donate blood the other night I made a total horses arse of filling the form out. Things like this irritate the beejesus out of me. I’m jonesing for The Wurlitzer and a general dose of Spain methinks. Who’s going to the Norton bash? Please advise…

Got a bit of a deadline going for an important upcoming cultural artefact that I'll tell you about in due course. Also the scoop on "All Dahled Up" is just about ready to roll.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Friday November 4th – Beat Generator Live!, Dundee(with The Creeping Ivies, more support acts to be announced)

Saturday November 5th – Secret Show, details to be announced closer to the time

Sunday November 6th – Mono, Glasgow (with Aggi Doom)

Viv Albertine, ex-guitarist and main songwriter for highly influential, all female punk, and indeed Post-Punk band, The Slits, plays her first ever Scottish solo dates in November. A founding member of The Flowers of Romance with Sid Vicious, a band of legendary proportions in the punk scheme of things, but who never wrote a song or played a gig; and latterly of The 49 Americans, and Adrian Sherwood’s Dub-influenced collective, New Age Steppers. Viv retreated from Rock’n’Roll to study film-making in 1982 after the demise of The Slits, then working mainly as a director, mostly for television, throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s. Her freelance directing work included stints with the BBC and the British Film Institute

In 2009, she began performing as a solo artist, playing venues around London showcasing new material.. In March 2010 she released a four-song debut solo E.P. titled Flesh on Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! label.

She additionally recorded a cover version of David Bowie's Letter to Hermione for the Bowie tribute album We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie which was released on September 6, 2010.

Viv Albertine's debut solo album is scheduled for release in 2012, her first major recorded work in 25 years, and she is currently writing a book, to be published in tandem with the album release.

I'm having some computer problems so it seems like a good time to leave you with the latest David Lynch protege... I guess that it's not particularly safe for work either visually or sonically. Ain't them the breaks.

Monday, October 03, 2011

Maybe a wee recap is in order. The weekend disappeared faster than one would have hoped but the twisted turns weren’t completely devoid of entertainment.

Saw a couple of movies… “Fright Night” – a remake – isn’t too bad and is savvy and stupid enough to entertain. Mid way between an episode of Buffy and True Blood lite. It’s pretty good Saturday afternoon mind candy. Not a classic but neither is it an utter waste of two hours.

Which is more than can be said for “Cowboys and Aliens”. True tripe but not of a very high order. Liked the premise but is there some kind of union agreement where all monsters are modelled on a cross between Stripe and “Alien”(a la the original Ridley Scott-fest). Gave that guy Daniel Craig a chance and he blew it – unless his part was playing a lump of wood. In that case C+A is oscar material. Even as mindless pish goes, this was pushng it. Shame really because of the two, I didn’t expect this to be the clunker.

Stream of unconsciousness… I need to be out that door soon and will undoubtedly collapse on the sofa when I return. Not because of strong drink or any other kind of stimulant I hasten to add.

Anyway it occurred to me that one of the few saving graces of “One Day” was the inclusion of Derek Amitri’s “Roll To Me” in the soundtrack. In some ways, they were Glasgow’s version of The Smithereens. I also like the one about “Always The Last To Know”.Is that the title? Can't recall.

Anyway yes – afore I go, the fifth birthday of a favourite haunt is coming up. Really hope that I can stop off for a visit soon but in lieu of that… here are the details of this years shindig.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Say what? Say hey! It's a double dose of Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. this week with a return to Otto's (complete with free raffle prizes!) and a final visit to Hank's Saloon for the Brooklyn Country Music Festival...

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Things are a wee bit out of my control in these parts of late, hence the erratic nature of content.

It’s gone from seemingly having all the time in the world to well, not having that. There’s a whole bunch of things I need to get to and will do when the gittin’ is possible. Finding the time to just listen to and read stuff has been engulfed.

Did get to the pictures these past two afternoons though, saw "One Day" which isn't so great - a bit wummin-y but I don't mind staring at Anne Hathaway for a bit. Also wondered if the director had clocked Matt and Kim's "Lesson's Learned" video.

On the other hand today's offering "The Guard" is really, really good. I would have made one small change to the outro but other than that - excellent. It's like Bill Forsyth directing a bizarro world "Rush Hour" scripted by Graham Linehan. Trust me on this one, it's cool and twisted. pity it's not a pilot for a TV show.

The news that REM split doesn’t really trouble my world. They had a few good songs but I never saw them. There were peripheral aspects to them that have some resonance though. Such as getting Murmur through the mail from Field Marshall Peter Zaremba when those Fleshtones were on IRS. My friend Scott McCaughey toured with them for many moons and most recently I guess the tie up with The Bambi Molesters on Sonic Bullets. They were fans of great music and supported it, even although their own fare was often a tad “meh”. It’s not their fault they shifted a lot of records. Damn, look at the time, gotta split again.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

It's that time again...Hello,

We are extremely pleased to announce the return of the Monorail Film Club.

First up, this Sunday we have Billy The Kid, Jennifer Venditti's powerful coming of age film. ‘I’m not black, I’m not white, not foreign, just different in the mind. Different brains, that’s all,’explains fifteen-year-old Billy. Intuitive commentary and intimate verite footage reveal a unique attitude as he responds to a painful childhood, first time love, and his experience as an outsider in small town Maine. By turns humorous and disturbing, this portrait challenges the viewer to understand a triumphant teen on his own terms.

The screening will be preceded by a short film The Waltzer Boys (20 mins), directed by Martin Clark. The Waltzer Boys is a charming documentary about the magic and lure of fairgrounds in small towns in the north of Scotland.

Martin Clark will be introducing the screening. He is a Glasgow- based photographer and filmmaker. Join the film club after the screening in Café Cosmo.

As ever we recommend booking tickets in advance from the GFT box office on 0141 332 6535.

On March 9th 2009, Suzy and BB Quattro’s friend HANK was murdered. This catapulted them into an episode that they’ve captured like an audio movie. I hesitate to use the expression rock opera because this includes the roll part too. In addition to the fact that they had to deal with the loss of a dear friend, the healing process took many twists and turns. All of those are documented here in terms of a collision between the finest shards of East Coast US punk and glorious Californian pop.

I put my hand up – I am undeniably biased but sometimes one has to be objective. There are times when in order to retain any sort of credibility then such bias has to be set aside.

As much for the acts sake as for the individual who is testifying.

So, I solemnly swear that this album plays out like a great movie. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. Sequenced to be listened to in order but the individual songs stand tall in their own right. Be it the Diddley crunch that hits you like John Wayne pummelled Victor McLagan in “The Quiet Man” or an anthem like “In My Dreams Again” that literally reduced me to rubble. “Freak Out” and “Kick Ass” are power rockers that’ll have you bouncing and punching the air like you thought you’d forgotten how to. The latter not unlike a tag team guitar rassle between Brian may and Ross The Boss. Phew!

It’s been a pure pleasure to watch the band get here. It’s not fake, it’s not forced and their version of the Zim’s “You Angel You” is as jaw dropping as how The Who interpreted Mose Allison’s “Young Man Blues”. Suzy’s vocal on “Still Mad About You” is pure Minnie Ripperton, a soul/doowop hymn to their departed amigo that manages to convey hope for the future in addition to declaring their allegiance to HANK.

Wherever he is at this point, I bet H is damn proud of what his old friends have assembled in his honour. He must have been a heck of a guy to warrant this standard of remembrance. Though I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I reckon we would have gotten along just (Jim) dandy.

That’s my pitch – if you don’t like this then I really can’t help you but if you do then savour it because they hardly ever make blockbusters like this anymore. As a double feature with the upcoming Dahlmanns opus “All Dahled Up” the outcome could be terminal.

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A wee bit of background, etc.

This all kicked off as a print (Xerox) magazine in 1977 and now it's on the interweb. Named after the title track on The Dictators Go Girl Crazy (40 years old in 2015) the purpose has always been to uphold what’s good and pure and right in terms of rock’n’roll and its satellites.

It has nothing, nada, nowt to do with any festival(s) that devalue our namesake so don't send mp3's or anything else with regard to setting course for a career in the music business or anywhere else.

Take a look at what goes on here and if you think your fare fits then drop a line and maybe we can work something out.

I plan to put PDFs of all physical issues up here eventually and in addition, all Rockin’ Bones, Watch This and Fuzzbuzz.Maybe Psychedelic Basement, etc from Sounds too so that everything is in one place. Some of the quality of the source material isn’t terribly good but it’s all I have to work with. It will take some time. The 3 page pilot issue, “NBT 0” from September 1976 never survived as far as I know. Some of the content is a wee bit embarrassing at this juncture but every journey has to start someplace, right?